What is the Vuly Thunder trampoline?

Vuly is an Australian-based company which began working with Toys R Us in 2014 to bring their products to American citizens. Vuly manufactures other backyard equipment in addition to their trampoline lines.

Vuly’s Thunder trampoline their highest quality, safest trampoline. It uses leaf springs placed under the jumping mat instead of conventional springs attached on the sides. And according to Vuly, their Thunder trampoline beats the competition both in strength and bounce.

Vuly Thunder – and Vuly Thunder Pro

Vuly sells two Thunder models – the Thunder, and the Thunder Pro. There are some basic differences between the two – we’ll get to that in a second – but it’s important to know that the trampoline sold on Amazon is a mix of both: it has the Thunder’s door,the Thunder Pro’s skirt and bent poles, and the Thunder Pro’s terylene net.

The VulyTrampolines website sells the same trampolines as Amazon, but their VulyPlay website still sells the two models (which we mentioned back in the Springfree article) separately.

This article focuses on the Thunder trampolines currently sold on Amazon.

Is Vuly’s Thunder trampoline safe?

The Thunder’s safety net is sewn onto the jumping mat, and its poles are placed at a distance and bend outwards, lessening the chance of jumpers crashing into them. Since the springs are under the mat instead of beside it, and completely outside the enclosure, jumpers’ limbs can’t get stuck. This would be true even if Vuly were to use regular springs instead of leaf springs.

The leaf springs themselves are flexible and strong, providing both support for the trampoline as well as bounce for the person jumping. No nuts and bolts mean no small parts which may come loose, and the distanced poles mean there’s nothing for jumpers to bump into.

Vuly also claims to have the best safety net, and states their enclosure is strong enough to stand up to “all the jumps you like.” Safety nets often weaken after some time, so a strong net means you don’t need to worry about falling off the trampoline when the enclosure net rips apart.

However, it’s not clear how strong the door frame is. On the one hand, Vuly says their net is the strongest in the world, and their door seems to be reinforced. On the other, the safety net only has a one-year warranty – the same as Springfree’s. So is their net really safer?

Is the Vuly Thunder bouncy?

Thanks to its leaf springs and quality mat, the Vuly Thunder trampoline is incredibly bouncy. The leaf springs’ design adds extra power to each bounce, and the bounce itself is relatively soft and even.Several objective reviewers have noted Vuly’s Thunder for its exceptional bounce, saying it has the “best bounce of any recreational trampoline.” It’s also worth noting that some professional trampolinists use the Thunder to practice.

What shapes and sizes are available?

Vuly’s Thunder trampoline is only available in the classic round shape. It comes in three sizes: Medium (8.5′ jumping mat, 12′ total width), large (10.5′ jumping mat, 14.5′ total width), and extra-large (12.5′ jumping mat, 16′ total width).

All of the Thunder trampolines are 10′ tall.

How much does the Thunder weigh?

It’s not clear how much the trampoline sold on Amazon weighs. However, the Thunder Pro ranges from 162.2 kg for a medium-size trampoline to 257.6 kg for an extra-large trampoline. It’s probably safe to say that the trampoline sold on Amazon is of a similar weight.

You won’t be able to easily pick it up and move it, but on the other hand, you know it’ll stand steady and stable even if there’s a strong wind or if someone bangs into it.

What is the weight limit?

It’s important to note that even though Vuly advertises the trampoline’s potential for various games involving two or more people, only one person can safely jump at a time. This is true even if the two jumpers together do not exceed the maximum weight limit, and it is true no matter which trampoline you purchase.

What is it made of?

Vuly makes the frames of its Thunder trampolines out of galvanized and powder-coated steel. Their leaf springs are also made of steel, and their net enclosures are made of tightly woven silk terylene.

The trampoline is rust-resistant and contains no nuts and bolts.

Where can you can buy the Vuly Thunder?

If you’re the type that likes to buy in-store, Vuly trampolines are available at Toys R Us and Canadian Tire stores. If you don’t live near a Toys R Us or Canadian Tire, or don’t have time to go in person, you can buy Vuly’s Thunder trampolines on Amazon.

What accessories are available?

Vuly offers various useful and fun accessories for its trampolines. Probably the best accessory is their shade covers, or tents, which allow both children and adults to jump in the backyard without worrying about sun exposure.

The company also offers a “skateboard” deck, which comes in orange and pink. In addition, the company provides an anchor kit and stepladder – though you probably don’t need either if you’re buying a Thunder trampoline.

Vuly also offers a water mister, basketball set, “pulse” loudspeaker for playing music, and a wheel to make moving the trampoline easier.

One built-in accessory is the HexVex printed on the Thunder’s jumping mat. These little characters allow kids to invent their own imaginative games to play while jumping. Examples of games might include jumping from character to character; avoiding certain characters; and designating each character or area as being worth a certain amount of points if landed on.

What kind of warranty does Vuly offer?

For their Thunder trampolines, Vuly offers a eight-year warranty on the frame tubes and joiner poles, a 2-year warranty on the safety net and mat, and a 1-year warranty on the leaf springs.

The safety mat’s warranty does not cover the printed designs.

Vuly also states clearly that their warranty only covers defects and manufacturing faults. It does *not* cover damage through wear and tear, damage through weather conditions, damage through improper installation, damage through insufficient care or maintenance, or damage through inappropriate use.

On the other hand, Vuly’s site makes it very easy to file a warranty claim, placing the link right there in the site’s footer.

How does Vuly Thunder compare to other trampolines?

Vuly Thunder vs Springfree

If there’s a trampoline which might be better than the Thunder, it’s Springfree. And honestly, the two trampolines have much in common: Both come in medium, large, and extra-large sizes, and both are available only in the classic round shape.

In addition, both the Springfree and Thunder have a one-year warranty on their safety nets, neither have metal springs, and both boast safety enclosures sewed into the jumping mat. They also happen to have the same weight limit – 331 lbs, or 150 kg.

The newer Thunder trampolines, like the Thunder Pro trampolines, have bent poles similar to Springfree’s. These bent poles help ensure bouncing jumpers do not hit their heads or other limbs when the net stretches out towards the poles.

One area that Springfree definitely beats the Thunder in is easily available information: Springfree explains exactly which safety issues their model solves, without forcing site visitors to trawl the site. Vuly, on the other hand, gives you bits and pieces, and finding information can be a pain.

Another thing to consider is the trampoline’s legs: Springfree has more legs, but they’re taller; the Vuly Thunder has only a few legs, but they are closer to the ground. Neither is good or bad, but it’s a difference to keep in mind.

Vuly Thunder vs Vuly 2

Vuly’s Vuly 2 trampoline is billed as a safer, more modern version of their classic trampoline. Some of its safer features include a steadier base and Vuly’s strong enclosure.

However, the Vuly 2 is still a regular trampoline, with a safety cover over the metal springs just off the jumping mat and nearly-straight metal poles just outside the mat’s rim. Though the safety cover does offer some degree of protection from the springs, jumpers can still slip and get a limb or digit caught.

For this trampoline, you’d want to buy Vuly’s stepladder and anchor set.

The Vuly 2 comes in 8′, 10′, 12′, and 14′ round trampolines. The upside? These trampolines are about half the price of the Thunder.

Vuly offers a 7-year warranty on the Vuly 2’s frame tubes and joiner poles, a 5-year warranty on the trampoline’s springs, safety net, and mat (excluding print), and a 1-year warranty on the safety pads.

Vuly Thunder vs Vuly Classic

The Vuly Classic trampoline is no longer available, either on the company’s site or on Amazon. This trampoline’s opening closed with a zipper and could be “locked” from the outside with a hook. Its frame was made of galvanized steel, and the warranty was slightly different than the current Vuly warranties.

If you can find a Vuly Classic second-hand that’s still safe, there’s no reason to prefer the Vuly 2 over it. However, bear in mind that you may not be able to purchase replacement parts for a model which has been retired.

Vuly Thunder vs Vuly Lite

The Vuly Lite trampoline offers a reversible safety pad, with one side showing yellow and the other showing blue. In most other areas, the Vuly Lite seems to be similar to the Vuly 2, with the same shape poles, the same Vuly safety net, and the same regular metal trampoline springs.

For this trampoline, like for the Vuly 2, you’ll probably want to buy a stepladder and anchor set.

Unlike the Vuly 2, the Vuly Lite seems to come in two sizes only: 12′ and 14′.

For their Vuly Lite trampolines, Vuly offers a 6-year warranty on the frame tubes and joiner poles, a 5-year warranty on the safety net, springs, and mat (excluding print), and a 1-year warranty on the safety pads.

What else do you need to know?

Vuly’s Thunder trampoline doesn’t have a safety mat around the edge, because it doesn’t need one – there’s no metal for jumpers to bang into, and there’s no metal for digits or limbs to get caught in.

For easy installation, the Thunder trampoline comes in six parts. Button locks allow the trampoline to easily clip together and hold tightly.

In addition, the company’s site offers various installation books and videos.

The bottom line?

The Vuly Thunder is a relatively safe trampoline which has managed to eliminate most safety issues. While Springfree probably still beats Thunder when it comes to safety, the Vuly trampoline offers nearly all – if not all – of the required safety features, at about half the price.

If you’re looking for a safe trampoline, but can’t spend $2000, the Thunder is the trampoline for you.

What do you think? Is there something you’d like to know, which wasn’t covered? Do you own a Vuly Thunder trampoline?

Summary

Reviewer

Chana Roberts

Review Date

2017-06-12

Reviewed Item

Vuly Thunder

Author Rating

5

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